Belarus had highest national currency depreciation rate against dollar among post-Soviet states in first six months

Belarus had the highest national currency depreciation rate against the US dollar among the 15 post-Soviet countries in the first six months of 2009.

During the period the official rate of the Belarusian rubel fell by 28.95 percent from 2,200 to 2,837 rubels against the dollar. The dollar rose by 27.47 percent in Tajikistan from 3.4519 to 4.4 somonis; by 24.54 percent in Kazakhstan from 120.77 to 150.41 tenges; by 17.39 percent in Armenia from 306.73 to 360.06 drams; and by 9.8 percent in Kyrgyzstan from 39.4181 to 43.281 soms.

The dollar rose by 8.11 percent, from 10.4002 to 11.2435 leis, in Moldova; by 6.501 percent, from 29.3804 to 31.2904 rubles, in Russia; by 6.497 percent, from 1,393 to 1,483.5 sums, in Uzbekistan; by 1.21 percent, from 0.495 to 0.501 lats, in Latvia; by 0.55 percent, from 2.4507 to 2.4643 lits, in Lithuania; and by 0.39 percent, from 0.801 to 0.8041 manats, in Azerbaijan.

The dollar rate remained unchanged in Turkmenistan at 2.85 manats. The dollar fell by 0.91 percent, from 7.7 to 7.6303 hryvnias, in Ukraine; by 0.55 percent, from 1.667 to 1.6579 laris, and in Georgia; and by 0.05 percent, from 11.1052 to 11.0996 kronas, in Estonia. In the self-proclaimed Republic of Transdniestria (Transnistria), Moldova, which has its own currency, the official rate of the dollar rose by 6.24 percent from 8.4715 to nine rubles.

In June, the rubel lost 2.05 percent against the US dollar, the highest rate of currency depreciation among the 15 post-Soviet countries.